Bound buttonhole guide



July 18, 1967 w. L. HERRMANN BOUND BUTTONHOLE GUIDE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed July 7, 1964 INVENTOK WILLIAM L. HERRMANN AT TO R N E YS July 18,1967 w. L. HERRMANN 3,

BOUND BUTTONHOLE GUIDE Filed July 7, l964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 5 vWILLIAM L. HERRMANN E I gi ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,331,342BOUND BUTTONHOLE GUIDE William L. Herrmann, 47 44 Lakeshore Road, PortHuron, Mich. 48060 Filed July 7, 1964, Ser. No. 380,825 7 Claims. (Cl.112136) This invention relates to a device for making bound or pipedbuttonholes, and more particularly, to a device of this character foruse with the ordinary sewing machine.

In making a bound buttonhole, a piece of cloth is normally sewed to themain body of the material, this piece of cloth being folded upon itselffrom each side inwardly and the edges pulled downwardly through slotscut through the piece itself and in the material to which the materialis sewn.

Priorly, numerous devices have been employed in the making of thesebound buttonholes. Examples of these devices are disclosed in BurgessPatents 2,814,264 and 2,814,265. Yet another of these prior art devicesis disclosed in Hanna Patent 2,641,388. The prior art devices, however,exhibit numerous disadvantages. For example, they are not suitable forforming buttonholes in relatively thick material. Further, there is atendency of the buttonhole device to slide sidewise from beneath thefoot of the sewing machine. Still further when employed with relativelythick material, these buttonhole devices rock or tend to becomemisaligned with the proposed buttonhole. Yet another disadvantage ofthese devices is that they are relatively complex and requireconsiderable skill on the part of the operator. Accordingly, it is anobject of this invention to provide an improved buttonhole guide.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved boundbuttonhole guide which is simple in construction and is easilymanipulated.

.Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved boundbuttonhole guide which is adapted to cooperate with relatively thickmaterial.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bound buttonholeguide which can be accurately manipulated by one having relativelylittle sewing skill.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bound buttonholesewing guide which incorporates provision for accurate placement of theguide on the cloth, and accurate sewing of the buttonhole.

Briefly, in accordance with aspects of this invention, I provide a boundbuttonhole guide which is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis and issymmetrical about a transverse axis, so that the buttonhole guide may beemployed in either elongated position relative to the buttonhole. Inaccordance with other aspects of this invention, I provide a novel slotand tongue arrangement for securely holding the folded strips relativeto the buttonhole and for fastening the buttonhole guide to the materialin which the buttonhole is to be made, thus accurately and securelypositioning both the buttonhole guide and the strips. This arrangementfacilitates accurate positioning and sewing of the buttonhole such thatbound buttonhole making can be performed by one who is relativelyunskilled.

In accordance with other aspects of this invention, I provide a boundbuttonhole guide with a pair of parallel longitudinal ridges spacedrelative to the longitudinal buttonhole slot such that the ridges serveas a guide or as guides for the presser foot or for a zipper or cordingfoot of a sewing machine. With this novel arrangement of guide ridges,accurate sewing is facilitated and contact between the needle and thebuttonhole guide is prevented.

In accordance with still'other aspects of this invention,

I provide in a bound buttonhole guide a longitudinal.

3,331,342 Patented July 18, 1967 recess on the lower surface of thebuttonhole guide which recess terminates at opposite ends in a pair oftransverse slots such that a pair of folded strips may be securely heldin the recess with the ends extending through the slots so that thethickness of the material does not cause the buttonhole guide to tend torock beneath the presser foot or the zipper or cording foot of thesewing machine.

These and various objects and features of the invention will be moreclearly understood from a reading of the detailed description of theinvention in conjunction with drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one illustrative embodiment of a boundbuttonhole guide according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing a pair offolded strips held in place in the buttonhole guide;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a pair of strips employed in the boundbuttonhole guide of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective showing the bound buttonhole guide ofFIG. 2 with the included strips secured on a piece of fabric in whichthe buttonhole is to be made and showing a portion of a sewing machineto illustrate the cooperation between the sewing machine and thebuttonhole guide;

FIG. 8 is a view in section taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view of the folded strips and fabric to which the stripshave been sewn utilizing the guide in accordance with the operationindicated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a view of the material of FIG. 9 with the strips pulledthrough a slot to form a bound buttonhole;

FIG. 11 is a view in section taken along the line 1111 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view in perspective of another illustrative embodiment ofthis invention showing the buttonhole guide supporting a pair of foldedstrips in cooperation with a piece of material and showing a portion ofa sewing machine;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 12; r

FIG. 14 is a view in section taken along the line 1414 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 12; and,

FIG. 16 is an elevational section view of the structure shown in FIG.13, taken along the line 1616 thereof, and looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is depicted a top plan view of oneillustrative embodiment of buttonhole guide 10 according to thisinvention. Advantageously the buttonhole guide 10 is substantiallyrectangular and includes a centrally located longitudinally elongatedslot 11 which slot is to be positioned to enclose the location of thebuttonhole which is sewed. Also advantageously the buttonhole guide 10includes a pair of transverse slots 14, 15 each positioned adjacent oneend of the buttonhole slot 11 for the purpose of receiving the ends of apair of folded strips in a manner which will be subsequently described.Yet another advantage of the buttonhole guide 10 is that it includes apair of tongue portions 16, 17 on the opposite ends thereof andprojecting away from the transverse slots 14, 15 such that the foldedstrips passing through the slots 14, 15 may lay across the tongueportions 16, 17, respectively, and may be secured thereto by anysuitable manner in a manner which will be subsequently described.

Advantageously, the buttonhole guide 10 is symmetrical about both alongitudinal and a transverse axis such that the guide may be positionedrelative to a sewing machine with either end of the guide 10 adjacenteither end of the buttonhole line. Stated in another manner, the deviceor guide 10 eliminates the necessity for a particularly distinctorientation of the guide 10 relative to a piece of fabric other than therequired alignment of the slot 11 with the axis of the buttonhole lineon the fabric. Also advantageously, the guide 10 includes a pair ofparallel ridges 18, 20 along the opposite lingitudinal edges andparallel with the slot 11 to act as guide members for the sewing machineattachment which passes adjacent the slot 11. As will be subsequentlydescribed, this sewing machine attachment may be any convenient typesuch as a presser foot or a zipper foot or shoe. The guide 10 may beformed of any convenient material such as cardboard, plastic or a fiber.Also advantageously, the guide 10 may be formed of transparent materialto facilitate the observation of the material beneath the guide 10. Forconvenience, the guide 10 may be provided with a set of indicia such asthe scaled indicia 22, 23 on the left hand opposed edges of the guide 10to facilitate the measurement of the position of the buttonhole relativeto the fabric, or to facilitate marking the length of the buttonhole.The tongue portions 16, 17 are formed by cutting a pair of parallelnotches 24, 25 adjacent one end of the guide 10 and by forming acorresponding set of parallel notches 27, 28 in the opposite edge of theguide 10.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown the embodiment of guide 10 ofFIG. 1 and including a pair of folded strips 30, 31 each of which issewed as indicated at 32, 33 respectively. The strips are positioned inparallel relationship on one side of the guide 10 and the ends of thestrip are passed through the transverse slots 14, 15 and laid across therespective tongue portions 16, 17. After the strips have been placed inthis position they may be secured in this position by any suitablemeans, such as by a pair of rubber bands 35, 36 which encircle thetongue portions 16, 17, respectively, and the strips 30, 31. Thesestrips 30, 31 are preferably formed of the same material as that inwhich the buttonhole is to be formed in a manner well known in the art.

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along the longitudinal line 33 of FIG.2 and shows the relationship of the strip 30 relative to the guide 10.The opposite ends of the strip 30 have been passed through the notches14, 15 and are secured to the tongue portions 16, 17 by means of therubber bands 35, 36. This view also illustrates the ridge 18 extendinglongitudinally of the device or guide 10 for the purpose of guiding themachine attachment along the buttonhole slot 11 in a manner which willbe subsequently described.

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along the lines 44 of FIG. 1 andshowing the parallel relationship of the ridge portions 18, 20 relativeto the slot 11. Advantageously, the distance between the ridges 18, 20and the edges of the slot 11 are equal such that they facilitate sewingalong the respective edges of the slot 11. Further, it is thissymmetrical relationship which facilitates the placing of the guide 10relative to the proposed buttonhole such that the guide may be placedwith its longitudinal dimension in either direction relative to thelongitudinal dimension of the buttonhole.

FIG. is a plan view of the two folded strips 30, 31 showing the stripsplaced in parallel contiguous relationship with the sewn edges 32, 33substantially touching. The strips are normally held in thisrelationship relative to the forming of a bound buttonhole along theline of juncture of these two strips. FIG. 6 is a view in section takenalong the line 6-6 and showing the folded relationship of the strips 30,31.

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of the buttonhole guide in position on apiece of fabric 36 and held in this position by means of a pair ofcurved pins 37, 38 which pass from the top of the guide 10 forwardthrough the fabric strip 31, the slots 14 and 15, then through thefabric 36, and then upward through the slots 14 and 15, respectively.This view includes a portion of a sewing machine partly broken away andincluding a presser foot 49 mounted on the end of a conventional shaft41 by means of a thumb screw 42 and showing a sewing needle 43 held onthe end of a reciprocating rod 44 by means of a conventional thumb screw45. Although this particular view shows the sewing of the buttonholewith a presser foot attachment 40, as will be subsequently described,other sewing machine attachments may be employed. As shown in FIG. 7,the fabric 36 is positioned such that the ridge 18 engages and isparallel to the path of the presser foot 40 so the needle 43 will enterthe longitudinal slot 11 and will sew immediately adjacent the edge ofthis slot 11 while preventing the needle 43 from engaging the guide 10.In other words, a relatively unskilled operator can position the guide10 relative to the path of the presser foot 40 and start sewing at thebeginning of the slot 11 and will continue to sew along the length ofthis slot until the end of the slot is reached, at which point sewing isstopped. The operator may then rotate the guide 10 and fabric 36 and sewalong the opposite side of the slot 11 by engaging the pressure foot 40with the raised portion or guide 20.

FIG. 8 is a view in section, taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 andshowing the relationship of the guide 10, and the strips 30, 31 relativeto the notch 11, and the relationship of the guide and strips relativeto the fabric 36. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the strips 30, 31 afterthey have been sewed to the fabric 36. FIG. 10 is a plan view of thefabric 36 before the strips 30, 31 have been pulled through thebuttonhole slot 46 which is out between the strips 30, 31. The stepswhich are accomplished between the views of FIGS. 9 and 10 are theconventional steps normally employed in forming a bound buttonhole. FIG.11 is a view in section taken along the line 1111 of FIG. 10. In FIG. 11it is seen that the strips 30, 31 have been rotated from a position onone side of fabric 36 in which the sewed edges 32, 33 are contiguous toa position on the other side of fabric 36 in which the folded edges arecontiguous. Thus, the result is a bound buttonhole. In other words, thisbuttonhole is bounded by folded edges of the fabric. After thebuttonhole has been formed by the steps indicated in FIG. 9, 10 and 11,a separate piece of material with a suitable buttonhole slot is placedin contact with the material 36 and in contact with the strips 30, 31with the edges around the buttonhole slot folded under and sewed to thematerial 36. in a manner well known to the art.

FIG. 12 is a view in perspective of another illustrative buttonholeguide 50 according to this invention which is preferably transparentplastic. This view includes a portion of a piece of fabric and portionsof a sewing machine showing the cooperation of the sewing machine withthe buttonhole guide. In the embodiment of FIG. 12 a pair of guideridges 52, 53 are mounted or formed integrally with the guide 50 inspaced parallel relationship and preferably equally spaced relative tothe longitudinal notch 54 which encloses the buttonhole area.Preferably, the device 50 is relatively thick in comparison to thedevice 10 such that the device 50 has sufficient room on the lowerportion thereof to have a recess which receives the strips 55, 56. Thisrecess will be shown and described in connection with FIGS. 14, 1S and16. In the embodiment 50 the guide ridges 52, 53 are substantiallycoextensive with the slot 54 and are spaced from the longitudinal notch54 a distance suitable for guiding a zipper or cording foot 57 which ismounted on the end of the rod 41 by means of a suitable thumb screw 58.This embodiment includes a pair of transverse slots 60, 61 whichcorrespond with slots 14, 15, respectively, of the embodiment of FIG. 1.The embodiment 50 also includes a pair of tongue portions 63, 64 whichportions are formed by cutting or otherwise forming notches 65, 66 and67, 68 in the embodiment 50.

The buttonhole guide 50 is preferably formed of substantially rigidmaterial such as plastic or the like. This second embodiment orbuttonhole guide 50 is adapted to be securely held in place on thefabric 36 by an alternative means to the curved pins 37 and 38.

As shown in FIGS. 14, 15 and 16, the buttonhole guide 50 is provided onthe bottom face thereof, exclusive of the cut-out portions, with a layerof abrasive or friction material 78 such as emery cloth, sandpaper orthe like. Experience has shown that when the friction material such asemery cloth makes contact with the fabric 36, that the guide 50 issecurely held to the fabric 36 and slippage between the buttonhole guide50 and the fabric 36 is prevented during the positioning and actualsewing operations due to the inherent characteristics of the frictionmaterials. It will be understood that the curved pins 37 and 38 couldalso be used with this embodiment in the same manner as with the firstembodiment, but it has been found that the friction material 78 issatisfactory without the use of the curved pins 37 and 38.

FIG. 15 shows a slight modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 13, 14and 16. In this embodiment the friction material such as emery cloth orsandpaper is only applied along the bottom edges of the buttonhole guide50, as for example, two half-inch wide strips 79 and 80 may be appliedalong the button'hole guide bottom surface, along each longitudinal edgethereof. The strips of friction material 79 and 80 function in the samemanner as when the whole bottom surface is provided with this material.

The strips 55, 56 are fastened or held on the guide 50 by means ofsuitable fasteners or hold devices such as the rubber bands 72, 73. Themethod employed in positioning the buttonhole guide 50 and in performingthe sewing operation and the ultimate turning of the strips 55, 56through the buttonhole formed in the fabric 36 is identical to thatdescribed with respect to FIGS. 1 through 11.

FIG. 13 is a plan View taken from the top of the embodiment 50 of FIG.12 and shows the coextensive relaaionship between the guide ridges 52,53 and the buttonhole slot 54. This View also shows the transverse slots60, 61 and the tongue portions 63, 64. The dotted lines 75, 76 indicatethe channel or slot 77 extending longitudinally of the device 50 betweenthe transverse slots 60, 61 for the purpose of receiving the thicknessof the strips 55, 56.

FIG. 14 is a view in elevation and in section taken along the line 14-14of FIG. 13, which line constitutes the longitudinal axis of the device50. This device is symmetrical with respect to both its longitudinal andtransverse centerlines. As shown in FIG. 14, the transverse slots 60, 61are connected by the longitudinal recess indicated between therespective transverse slots such that the folded strips such as 55, 56in FIG. 12, will lie within the recess 77. Thus the force of pressure ofthe zipper or cording foot 57 or the pressure foot 40 of FIG. 7 wouldnot cause the buttonhole guide 50 to tip or tilt relative to the sewingmachine worktable and the incorporated or sandwiched fabric. FIG. 15 isa bottom plan view of the device 50 and showing the positionalrelationship between the elongated slot or recess 77 and the buttonholeslot 54 and the transverse slots 60, 61.

While I have shown and described two illustrative embodiments of thisinvention, it is understood that the concepts thereof could be employedin other embodi- 6 ments without departing from the spirit and scope ofthis invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A buttonhole guide comprising a substantially rectangular memberhaving an elongated substantially rectangular buttonhole slot centrallylocated therein, and a pair of transverse slots; one of said transverseslots being positioned adjacent one end of said buttonhole slot and theother transverse slot being positioned adjacent the other end of saidbuttonhole slot; a first tongue portion at one end of the guide formedby a first pair of parallel longitudinally extending slots openingoutwardly thereof and the transverse slot at said one end of saidbuttonhole slot; and, a second tongue portion at the other end of theguide formed by a second pair of parallel longitudinally extending slotsopening outwardly thereof and the transverse slot at the other end ofthe buttonhole slot.

2. The combination according to claim 1 further comprising a pair ofparallel guide ridges positioned on opposite sides of said buttonholeslot for aligning said guide with a sewing machine attachment, saidridges serving to prevent the needle from engaging the guide.

3. A buttonhole guide comprising a substantially rectangular memberhaving an elongated substantially rectangular buttonhole slot centrallylocated therein and a pair of transverse slots each positioned adjacentone end of said buttonhole slot; a pair of tongue portions on saidmember, one of which projects longitudinally of said guide from adjacenteach of said transverse slots; a pair of parallel guide ridgespositioned on opposite sides of said buttonhole slot for aligning saidguide with a sewing machine attachment, said ridges serving to preventthe needle from engaging the guide; and, said rectangular member beingprovided with a longitudinal recess communicating with said transverseslots for receiving strips of folded material the ends of which arepassed through said transverse slots.

4. The combination according to claim 3 further comprising means forholding the ends of a pair of strips to said tongue portions.

5. The combination according to claim 4, further comprising means forsecuring the buttonhole guide to a fabric in which a buttonhole is to beformed.

6. The combination according to claim 5, wherein: said means forsecuring the buttonhole guide to a fabric comprises a plurality ofcurved pins.

7. The combination according to claim 5, wherein: said means forsecuring the buttonhole guide to a fabric comprises a friction materialon the bottom surface of the buttonhole guide.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 202,303 4/ 1 878 Trowbridge112-152 1,145,244 7/ 1915 Hoffmann. 1,337,972 4/1920 Webb 112-1361,816,627 7/1931 Weis 112-152 2,313,261 3/1943 Podgorny 112-1522,487,926 11/1949 Hoffman 112-152 2,506,332 5/1950 Bedford 24-772,703,931 3/ 1955 Collins. 2,775,822 1/ 1957 Hinton.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. H. H. HUNTER, Examiner.

1. A BUTTONHOLE GUIDE COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR MEMBERHAVING AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR BUTTONHOLE SLOT CENTRALLYLOCATED THEREIN, AND A PAIR OF TRANSVERSE SLOTS; ONE OF SAID TRANSVERSESLOTS BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID BUTTONHOLE SLOT AND THEOTHER TRANSVERSE SLOT BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT THE OTHER END OF SAIDBUTTONHOLE SLOT; A FIRST TONGUE PORTION AT ONE END OF THE GUIDE FORMEDBY A FIRST PAIR OF PARALLEL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOTS OPENINGOUTWARDLY THEREOF AND THE TRANSVERSE SLOT AT SAID ONE END OF SAIDBUTTONHOLE SLOT; AND, A SECOND TONGUE PORTION AT THE OTHER END OF THEGUIDE FORMED BY A SECOND PAIR OF PARALLEL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOTSOPENING OUTWARDLY THEREOF AND THE TRANSVERSE SLOT AT THE OTHER END OFTHE BUTTONHOLE SLOT.